SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Oct. 31 to Nov. 6. Mercer outside hitter Annie Karlie was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Chattanooga defensive specialist Paige Gallentine was named Defensive Player of the Week and ETSU’s Caroline Dykes was tabbed Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
 
Karle, who also earned the honor on Sept. 12, averaged 4.25 kills per set and 3.12 digs per set and hit .414 as Mercer fell in four sets to The Citadel and topped Furman, also in four sets. The graduate student from Mount Olive, New Jersey, recorded 13 kills and committed just two errors on 30 swings against the Bulldogs on Friday, hitting .367 in the match and adding 11 digs. The next day, Karle turned in another double-double, notching 21 kills and 14 digs. She had just three errors on 40 total attacks, good for a .450 hitting percentage, and added two solo blocks in the win.
 
Gallentine, who claimed her third weekly honor of the season, averaged 6.14 digs per set as the Mocs picked up a sweep of UNCG on Friday and a 3-1 win over Western Carolina on Saturday. Against the Spartans, the sophomore from Fenton, Michigan, collected 16 digs, also recording an assist and two service aces. The following day against the Catamounts, Gallentine had 27 digs, again adding an assist and two service aces. Gallentine ranks 23rd in NCAA DI volleyball this season with 462 total digs.
 
Dykes nabbed her second straight honor and fifth of the season after directing ETSU’s offense to the tune of 11.25 assists per set as the Bucs clinched the SoCon regular-season title over the weekend. The sophomore from Flower Mound, Texas, had 39 assists in ETSU’s 3-1 win over Western Carolina on Friday, adding 13 digs for her ninth double-double of the season, along with four service aces and three block assists as the Bucs clinched at least a share of the title. ETSU won it outright on Saturday, with Dykes dishing off four-set season-high 51 assists in the 4-1 win. She added five digs, two services aces and a block assist in helping secure ETSU’s first regular-season title since 2018.
 
Mercer (9-17, 5-9 SoCon) hosts Samford (15-11, 10-4) on Wednesday before finishing its regular season at Wofford (15-11, 7-7) on Saturday. Chattanooga (15-14, 9-5) hosts ETSU (19-7, 13-1), which has locked up the top seed in the upcoming SoCon Volleyball Championship, on Wednesday and visits The Citadel (11-16, 4-10) on Saturday. The Bucs close their regular season at The Citadel on Friday.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Ali Ruffin (The Citadel), Lundyn Coffman (ETSU), Morgan Cobb (Furman), Kenya McQuirter (Samford), Natalie Tyson (Chattanooga), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Sarah MacLean (Wofford)
 
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Kenzie Kellerman (The Citadel), Haley Sanders (ETSU), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Abbey Havrilla (Mercer), Kate Morgan (Samford), Destinee Dorsey (Western Carolina) and Abbey Richman (Wofford) 


Also nominated for setter of the week: Belle Hogan (The Citadel), Sarah Turner (Furman), Kiera McCarles (Mercer), Kayla Keshock (Samford), Sophia Bossong (Chattanooga) and Victoria Hensley (Wofford)


2022 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week 
Aug. 29             Merry Gebel, 5th Yr., OH, Western Carolina
Sept. 5             Lauren Deaton, Gr., OH, Samford 
Sept. 12            Annie Karle, Gr., OH, Mercer
Sept. 19            Ali Ruffin, So., OH, The Citadel
Sept. 26            Merry Gebel, 5th Yr., OH, Western Carolina
Oct. 3               Kennedy Smith, Sr., OH, Wofford
Oct. 10             Kennedy Smith, Sr., OH, Wofford
Oct. 17             Kenya McQuirter, R-Jr., OH, Samford
Oct. 24             Natalie Tyson, R-Sr., OH, Chattanooga
Oct. 31             Amanda Lowe, So., OH/RS, ETSU
Nov. 7              Annie Karle, Gr., OH, Mercer
 
2022 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week 
Aug. 29             Eden Punch, Jr., MB, Western Carolina
Sept. 5             Jaelynn Elgert, Jr., LIB, The Citadel
Sept. 12            Whitley Rammel, Fr., MB, ETSU
Sept. 19            Paige Gallentine, So., DS, Chattanooga
Sept. 26            Johnna Robinson, Sr., MB, Western Carolina
Oct. 3               Lundyn Coffman, Sr., MB, ETSU
Oct. 10             Kate Morgan, So., LIB, Samford
Oct. 17             Paige Gallentine, So., DS, Chattanooga
Oct. 24             Kate Morgan, So., LIB, Samford
Oct. 31             Destinee Dorsey, Jr., LIB, Western Carolina  
Nov. 7              Paige Gallentine, So., DS, Chattanooga

2022 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week 
Aug. 29             Gabriela McHugh, Sr., UNCG
Sept. 5             Belle Hogan, So., The Citadel
Sept. 12            Sarah Turner, Sr., Furman
Sept. 19            Caroline Dykes, So., ETSU
Sept. 26            Caroline Dykes, So., ETSU
Oct. 3               Victoria Hensley, Fr., Wofford
Oct. 10             Caroline Dykes, So., ETSU
Oct. 17             Belle Hogan, So., The Citadel
Oct. 24             Belle Hogan, So., The Citadel
Oct. 31             Caroline Dykes, So., ETSU
Nov. 7              Caroline Dykes, So., ETSU